BCT-8 Trunking: Please help this literate newbie!!

[matterhorn762]

So I'm usually very technically able, but am having a world of trouble to get my trunking to operate on my new BCT-8. This is my first scanner.

I've programmed in the frequencies in Trunking mode, Motorola (II) for my region. I then put in the ID lists for the area that I got off the net. I also think that the control channel is in there because of the sounds it makes (this is what Uniden told me on the phone, though the person trying to help me couldn't do much more than read the confusing manual back to me).

So I pick up nothing in "Trunk" mode. When I take it off, it does a conventional scan and picks up transmissions right away...

Can anybody please help or give me some checks to make? My email is matterhorn762@earthlink.net and I live in North Carolina.

Thank you to anyone who tries to help.

 

[mciupa]

Do those transmissions you're hearing conventionally, sound like they
are related to the ID scan lists that you programmed? (e.g. Did you hear
the Sheriff or Fire Dept ?) ,or was it other users?
Is the squelch set so that the scanner can acquire the control channel?

Re-check all your entered freq.'s, are they correct?

That's about all I can think of :?

Good luck :wink:

 

[waynesewell]

My bct-8 sometimes drops into and out of id scan mode for no apparent reason. You can tell the difference because "bx id scan" appears on the display when it is scanning talkgroups (where the x is the bank). If you just see frequencies going by, it has dropped out of id scan. Wait a whlile and id scan mode might kick in suddenly.

 

[matterhorn762]

Can somebody explain to me the deal with the control channel? I'm not really sure what it is and my manual does a great job of completely not mentioning it.

As I understand, it is just a frequency on the trunk group that is monitored by all and serves as a method to make the trunk system work. In addition, I must have this frequency monitored in my trunked bank in order for the trunking to work on my scanner. I also understand that the control channel changes for some reason (why?), but as long as I have it in my trunk bank, I'm fine and it doesn't matter where in the bank it is.

Can somebody please correct me? Thanks.

 

[waynesewell]

As I understand it, in normal trunking mode, the control channels are no different from the regular channels as far as entering them into the bank. You enter all the frequencies in no particular order, control channels and not. Though it helps to order them in the same order as the database where you found them for ease of verification.

In control-channel-only mode, you enter only the control channels and set that mode. However, you have to set the plan number to do that, and the plan descriptions in the bct-8 manual suck. The bc-296d manual explains it much better.

Unfortunately, in a system as big as starnet, with over 72 frequencies, you have no choice but to use this mode with the bct-8 because only 50 frequencies will fit in a bank.

But the system you are scanning is probably smaller than that, so you may have a choice.

 

[matterhorn762]

What's the control-channel-only mode?

 

[FIRE321FIGHTER1985]

bct-8 control channel only

Control channel only mode-The scanner is programed with the control channel frequency. when the scanner locks onto the CC it automatically finds the other frequencies assigned to that particular system. This function only works on motorola systems. When choosing plan 1-4 you use the first 3 numbers in the last 4 digits. Example:856.3765,857.3765,858.3765,859.3765,860.3765. You would look for the plan number with the number 376. set the scanner to motorola and it should work.


Mark

 

[matterhorn762]

This doesn't seem like it will work for my area since the frequencies are mostly .262X and .762X, therefore not matching to any of the 4 plans. Does that mean I can't use the CC only mode?

Also, let's assume I'm in area where one of the plans will work (for future reference)... but the control channel is rotated. Can I just program in all the possible control channels and put it in trunk scan mode? Will that then automatically pick up the control channel and do the control-channel-only mode correctly?

 

[waynesewell]

Actually, the above was incorrect. It's the last 3 digits period, such as XXX.X625, so the network you are trying to program should fit one of them.

From the bc-296d manual:

For 900 MHz systems, you can then simply turn the feature on or off. For 800 MHz systems, you need to select the band plan for the system:

PLAN1 -- Use if the last three digits of all of the frequencies used by the system end in 125, 375, 625, or 875.

PLAN2 -- Use if the highest frequency used by the system is above 866 MHz and if the last three digits end in 000, 125, 250, 375, 500, 625, 750, or 875.

PLAN3 -- Use if the last three digits of all the frequencies in the system end in 000, 250, 500, or 750.

PLAN4 -- Use if the highest frequency in the system is below 866 MHz and if the last three digits end in 000, 125, 250, 375, 500, 625, 750, or 875.

starnet in Houston appears to be plan 2. I programmed this into both the bct-8 and the bc-296d and they seem to follow the network okay.

And yes, you should enter all the control channel frequences, primary and alternate. But you have to explicitly turn on control-channel-only mode.

 

[matterhorn762]

You're right... I misread it. I will try it as soon as I get my car back at the end of the week.

Sounds like control channel only is a very powerful feature. Is there any reason that I wouldn't just use it all the time?

 

[W4KRR]

matterhorn,

The most common complaint from people new to trunking is that they can't hear any conversations when scanning, but when they manually step through the channels, they hear conversations.

There are several reasons for this.

1. You don't have the control channel entered. The control channel is the one that makes a continuous noise that sounds like a diesel engine running.

2. You had the control channel entered, but it changed to a different frequency that you are missing. Systems can have a maximum of four control channels that may rotate every day. Some systems have one control channel that never changes.

3. You entered the frequencies as conventional channels instead of Motorola trunked frequencies.

There is a good chance that your problem is caused by one of these issues. Double check your settings, and you should start to see it working.

BTW, a Motorola system can use a maximum of 28 frequencies. If you're seeing more than that, either the extra frequencies are for another system, are used for something else like MDT's, or the system is a Smartzone system, where each site has its own set of frequencies.

 

[duckbird]

Try pressing the PVT button until you see Trunking with PVT just below.

 

[matterhorn762]

1. You don't have the control channel entered. The control channel is the one that makes a continuous noise that sounds like a diesel engine running.

I think this is indeed my problem because one random day this week my trunking system worked like a charm and I didn't change a thing. Does this mean the system simply rotated to a control channel I had stored?

It's back to not working now. Is there a good way for me to figure out the control channels??

 

[waynesewell]

Where did you get the information from? If you use the database on this site, the control channels are marked as such. Some other references, such as Police Call, just list the frequencies.

 

[spot2112]

BCT8 Programing

Make sure you can actually receive the control signal all the time, with no breaks. Whenever you drop it, the scanner starts a non-trunking scan through the programmed frequencies until it hits the control loud and clear again. I commute about 120 miles to work and I have 2 banks set up -- one for the first half of the trip and one for the second half of the trip. They have the same id's but different sets of frequencies.

And, whether you are mobile or not, you might check to see what frequency the talk groups are actually on that you are interested in -- i.e., dont look them up somewhere. To do this, you can scan in "HWY" mode until you pick up a particular public service id in the system of interest, for example. When you do, hit hold and check the frequency. You do this by pushing the down arrow. If you look quickly enough, you might see the system frequency the caller (assuming its not the base) started out on. It will usually then switch to what seems to be the control channel, even though you still hear talking.

I would be glad to post more on this if i havent been clear here. just post and let me know.

 

[Jiffy1273]

does that alsgo for 500.3765 frequencies im trying to program East Brunswick Nj

 

[Jiffy1273]

Mark does that go far 500 mgh frequencies to

 

[WayneH]

You've posted to a thread that's now eight years old. Since I don't think your topic applies to the original OP I would recommend you start your own thread in the New Jersey forum or the Uniden forum.